Canada Health Transfer

Economic growth tops the priority list for Canadian policymakers — here’s why

Retrieved on:

Thursday, April 25, 2024

The real GDP growth forecast for 2024 is 0.7 per cent.

Key Points:

The real GDP growth forecast for 2024 is 0.7 per cent.
While the Canadian economy is not growing as rapidly as the United States, he argued, few are.

In our recent book, Fiscal Choices: Canada After the Pandemic, we explain why Canada’s anemic growth rate is worrying and why politicians and their advisors believe, almost unanimously, that economic growth is a policy imperative.
Similarly, transfers to other governments — the Canada Health Transfer and Equalization payments, for example — are legal requirements.
Reductions in spending or increases in taxes are austerity measures and austerity has so far produced limited, if any, payoffs in terms of economic growth.

Interest rates are outpacing growth rates

When growth is strong and interest rates are low, debt is manageable.
As long as the social rate of return from government spending is greater than the real interest rate, fiscal deficits help maintain output at potential.
But right now, interest rates are higher than growth rates.
At the time, interest payments on the debt consumed 7.04 per cent of the federal budget.
In 2023, by contrast, the interest rate on bonds had climbed to 3.3 per cent and growth had declined to 1.1 per cent nationally.

Government review processes

In the 2022 budget, the federal government announced a review of programs to realize savings in the order of $6 billion over five years.
The 2023 budget and the 2023 Fall Economic Statement doubled down on this initiative, requiring savings in the order of $15.8 billion.
With the exception of the review process undertaken by the federal government under Jean Chrétien in 1994, program reviews have yielded very little in long term savings.

Economic progress

There is nothing wrong with reviewing our assumptions about what economic progress looks like and who benefits from a bigger economy.
But we also need economic growth — not just so we can consume more, or generate more revenue for governments, but so we can take better care of one another.
Improved productivity, in both the public and private sectors, is another way of saying more sustainable economic growth.

Michael M. Atkinson receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. Haizhen Mou receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

Fraser Institute News Release: Canadians in every province will pay more than $1,750 per person in 2023-24 on government interest costs amounting to $81.8 billion

Retrieved on:

Thursday, January 25, 2024

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VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Canadians in every province will pay more than $1,750 per person in 2023/24 on government interest costs, finds a new study published by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank.

Key Points:

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Canadians in every province will pay more than $1,750 per person in 2023/24 on government interest costs, finds a new study published by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank.
The study finds that taxpayers across Canada will pay a total of $81.8 billion on interest payments for the federal and provincial debts this year alone.
Nationally, Newfoundland and Labrador’s combined federal and provincial interest costs is the highest in the country at $3,225 per person.
Meanwhile, total expenditures on interest costs for Albertans ($8.6 billion) and Ontarians ($31.5 billion) are nearly equivalent to expected spending on K-12 education in their respective provinces this year.

Open letter to Premiers of Canada: Please commit to taking cancer action now

Retrieved on:

Thursday, July 6, 2023

Cancer care has reached a crisis point because of widespread disruptions of screening, treatment and surgeries prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Key Points:

Cancer care has reached a crisis point because of widespread disruptions of screening, treatment and surgeries prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In fact, recent research shows that 21,247 additional Canadians could lose their lives to cancer due to pandemic-related delays over the next decade.
Only with concerted, coordinated action can we close the widening gaps in cancer care and save lives.
Please commit to taking cancer action now.

IMC calls on Canada's premiers to improve patient access to medicines

Retrieved on:

Wednesday, July 5, 2023

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However, there are a number of other critical health-care priorities which would benefit from federal-provincial-territorial collaboration, such as the need to improve timely access to innovative medicines, including drugs for rare diseases.

Key Points:

However, there are a number of other critical health-care priorities which would benefit from federal-provincial-territorial collaboration, such as the need to improve timely access to innovative medicines, including drugs for rare diseases.
Canadians wait two years, on average, for access to new medicines through public drug plans following Health Canada approval, which is nearly double the average time for access amongst 20 peer OECD countries.
The strategy aims to improve access to screening, diagnostics, and treatments for the three million Canadians who suffer from a rare disease – two-thirds of whom are children.
IMC is committed to working with governments and other health stakeholders to ensure all Canadians have timely access to life-saving medicines and vaccines.

Statement from the Minister of Health on the Canada Health Act

Retrieved on:

Friday, March 10, 2023

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Under the Canada Health Act, it is made clear that no Canadian should be paying out of pocket for medically necessary services.

Key Points:

Under the Canada Health Act, it is made clear that no Canadian should be paying out of pocket for medically necessary services.
Provinces and territories have taken meaningful steps, but more work is needed to ensure that there are no patient charges for insured health services.
In doing so, provinces and territories may be eligible for reimbursement of their deductions under the Canada Health Act Reimbursement Policy.
As the nature of care evolves, we must ensure the Canada Health Act evolves with it.

Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos tables the 2021-22 Canada Health Act Annual Report in Parliament

Retrieved on:

Friday, February 17, 2023

Today, the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Health, tabled the 2021-2022 Canada Health Act Annual Report in Parliament.

Key Points:

Today, the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Health, tabled the 2021-2022 Canada Health Act Annual Report in Parliament.
Canadians and their families deserve timely access to the health services they need, when and where they need them.
"Canadians are proud of our publicly funded health care system, and we will continue to uphold the values of equity, fairness, and solidarity that underpin the Canada Health Act.
The 2021-2022 Canada Health Act Annual Report includes CHT deductions taken in March 2022 for patient charges that occurred during the 2019-2020 fiscal year, and reimbursements issued to provinces and territories based on their reimbursement plans.

Canadians Agree: It’s Time for All Levels of Government to Prioritize Children’s Health

Retrieved on:

Monday, February 6, 2023

Added Gruenwoldt, “By earmarking $1 billion annually under the 10-year window of a re-negotiated Canada Health Transfer, we can begin to right-size children’s health.

Key Points:

Added Gruenwoldt, “By earmarking $1 billion annually under the 10-year window of a re-negotiated Canada Health Transfer, we can begin to right-size children’s health.
Canadians want the federal government to place a larger focus on child and youth health care, both overall and from a financial and measurement perspective.
87 per cent agree the federal government should set aside a portion of the Canada Health Transfer specifically for child and youth health care.
Over a third of parents lack confidence in the health care system’s ability to provide children’s health care medicine and products (39 per cent).

STATEMENT: Canadian Medical Association urges health system reform in 2023

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Thursday, December 22, 2022

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OTTAWA, ON, Dec. 22, 2022 /CNW/ - As we approach 2023, the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) will enter the new year by continuing to urge federal, provincial and territorial governments to work together to resolve the health systems crisis.

Key Points:

OTTAWA, ON, Dec. 22, 2022 /CNW/ - As we approach 2023, the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) will enter the new year by continuing to urge federal, provincial and territorial governments to work together to resolve the health systems crisis.
While governments argue over how Canada's 13 health system should be funded, patients continue to suffer.
There is no question that provincial and territorial health systems require targeted funding to support fast growing demand and aging populations.
The Canadian Medical Association leads a national movement with physicians who believe in a better future of health.

Health Coalitions warn health funding without strings is not in the public interest: Federal health dollars must come with accountability and national standards

Retrieved on:

Friday, December 16, 2022

The Health Coalitions support the call for a long-term increase to the Canada Health Transfer (CHT).

Key Points:

The Health Coalitions support the call for a long-term increase to the Canada Health Transfer (CHT).
Canada’s universal, public health care system requires federal leadership and provincial accountability.
The pandemic has revealed both the necessity of having a strong public health system, and the devastating consequences of under-investing in public health care.
It must unite the country around our shared vision for public health care, which is based on the principles of equity and compassion.

Treasury Board President Mona Fortier tables the Supplementary Estimates (B), 2022-23

Retrieved on:

Thursday, November 17, 2022

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OTTAWA, ON, Nov. 17, 2022 /CNW/ - Today, the Honourable Mona Fortier, President of the Treasury Board of Canada, tabled the Supplementary Estimates (B), 202223, in the House of Commons.

Key Points:

OTTAWA, ON, Nov. 17, 2022 /CNW/ - Today, the Honourable Mona Fortier, President of the Treasury Board of Canada, tabled the Supplementary Estimates (B), 202223, in the House of Commons.
These Supplementary Estimates propose $20.8 billion in voted budgetary spending across 87 federal organizations.
- The Honourable Mona Fortier, President of the Treasury Board
The 202223 Main Estimates, requested authority to spend $190.3billion in voted budgetary expenditures.
Total spending in these Supplementary Estimates represents a 10.4%increase to planned budgetary voted spending over the 202223 Estimates to date.